Courtesy of Amerks.com
Rochester, N.Y. – Rochester Americans General Manager Jason Karmanos announced today that the team has signed defenseman Brandon Fortunato to a one-year American Hockey League contract for the 2023-24 season.
Fortunato, 27, scored a career-high five goals and notched 18 assists for 23 points during his second season with the Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL) in 2022-23, good for third in scoring amongst team defensemen. He also added five points (1+4) in 12 playoff contests while helping the Icemen advance to the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the second straight year.
A native of Albertson, NY, Fortunato has reached the 20-point mark in all three of his ECHL seasons, totaling 69 points (7+62) in 136 career games over that span while also recording two assists in 23 combined American Hockey League appearances with Charlotte, Hartford, Cleveland and Belleville.
Prior to turning pro, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound blueliner split his collegiate career between Boston and Quinnipiac University, during which he amassed 76 points (16+60) in 142 games. As a freshman in 2014-15, Fortunato led the Terriers to an appearance in the NCAA National Championship game. He finished his final season at Quinnipiac ranked sixth in the ECAC with 23 assists despite only appearing in 26 games as a senior.
Fortunato also spent two seasons at the United States National Team Development Program, where he led all defensemen in scoring in back-to-back seasons for both the U.S. National U18 (2013-14) and U17 (2012-13) Teams.
Internationally, Fortunato is a two-time medal winner with the United States. He was a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 2014 IIHF Men’s U-18 World Championship, recording four assists in seven games, and won bronze at the same event in 2016.
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